Keep Talking about Climate Change

Conversations can be powerful.  Have them.

Today, a co-worker told me his next car would be another muscle car.  He knows I work on climate.  He knows I drive an EV.  He knows I advocate for EVs and a carbon tax.  He knows that the climate is changing.  He knows that humans are the cause. He is a liberal that donates to public radio.  He cares about our world.

I have always worked hard to remain patient in my communications on climate.  Alienating people, shaming people, dismissing people's concerns?  That will generally shut down communication.  That is definitely not what I want to accomplish. So I take it step by step.

But today, this coworker, let's call him Peter, crossed a line. I just couldn't understand why he was taunting me...for that is what it was... a taunt, daring me to respond forcefully.  Maybe Peter was looking for me to set limits?  Maybe he wanted to argue?  I didn't know.

I first suggested once again that he test drive my EV.  I reminded him of the instant torque.  But then, when he dismissed my offer yet again, I found myself reminding him of the IPCC report..."we have just 12 years to cut emissions in half."  "Yes, I know.  We are fucked," he said.  "No," I said. "We are not fucked. THAT is a cop out."  

Then he did it.  He had the temerity to raise George Carlin.  "Really?" I thought, "Really, George Carlin?"  He didn't get the chance to finish Carlin's quote.  I pounced, "I hate that George Carlin tripe." He persisted, "wait, no, he's right, the Earth will be fine." 

"Of course, Earth will be fine," I returned.  "Of course it will. THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE EARTH. THIS IS ABOUT SUFFERING.  EVERY SINGLE CARBON ATOM LEFT UNDER GROUND MEANS A LITTLE BIT LESS SUFFERING."

He stopped.  Looked up.  "You are very kind, aren't you?"

Everyone around us was now politely walking away.  Have I severed any important working relationships?  Will I now be dismissed as a nutter tree hugger?  Irony that...tree hugger.  That is precisely NOT what I've just made the case for, I think.

Work rolls on and we go our separate ways. And then I receive this email from Peter:  

"Regarding our conversation about global warming this morning: 

As I reflect on it, I more fully understand your point.  There will indeed be MUCH human suffering and massive loss of life.  I, the misanthrope, focus on the entire planet and [insert misanthropic rant here].  I still perceive all of that the same way, but you shone a light on a consequence of global warming that I was just plain not looking at.  ('How many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?') 

So, thank you.  Now I have something important to speak about with my sons. 

Have a good weekend, 

Peter" 

What an incredibly kind message.  It left me with gratitude to him and to my own failure to rein in my anger.  It reminded me persistence matters.  Showing up.  We all have to keep showing up.

My reply:

"Dear Peter, 

Thank you so much for this email. After our conversation, my own reflection left me angry at myself because I was so forceful. I try not to foist my perspective on others. But sometimes I get frustrated with the pace of things. Today was one of those days. Your email means a lot to me because it is a reminder that I cannot squelch my passion in my work and communication on climate. 

As to your so-called misanthropic perspective, it is wholly understandable. It reminds me of a conversation I had with my very wise daughter when she was about ten. She asked me if things like cockroaches would survive climate change. I said that I believed so. Her response was 'Good. Then at least we get to start over.'  I think that her view was and is life-affirming. We are cousins to all life and their journey is our journey. You are not being misanthropic—just holistic in view. 

But at the end of recognizing the limits of our powers to destroy, we must also recognize the extent of our power to destroy. Our lives here are a journey and the journey matters just as much as the end result on the day the sun engulfs our planet. It is our obligation to ourselves and all of our cousin-life to journey well. 

Thank you, Peter, for letting me know that our conversation had value for you. It did for me too, especially because of your very kind email. 

Have a good weekend, Claire"

Please, keep showing up.  And, dear reader, have a good weekend.

Resiliency in the Face of Devastating Diagnoses

Anyone paying attention to climate change carries fear of the horrible suffering we have already locked in. A sense of hopelessness that often falls away to doomerism.

Doing the hard work of decarbonizing our economy seems to fail to grasp the enormity of the suffering and pain of drought, hunger, migration and loss.  How can we take these mundane steps when the world is on fire?!?!?

But when you are given horrible news, after you cry, you have to pick yourself up and do what has to be done, even the mundane.

One of the challenges is that the damage we have locked in is enormous, even by conservative projections.  Physically unavoidable harm already certain to come, already here. 

This is a huge blow to anyone first looking at climate change.  Before learning about the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and Greenland melt or the concerns about methane pockets in the Arctic, they think, "well, this is a giant problem, but it is purely technological and we can fix it.  I will find out how."

Then they start to dig and they find out that it isn't that simple.  Huge changes are already bought and paid for.  Nonrefundable.

So the thing they first sought out to save is no longer savable.  AND that is when they throw up their hands and say "it's too late."  Understandable... IT IS TOO LATE TO SAVE SO MUCH.

But anyone that has been diagnosed with cancer will tell you, that is when you cry.  Like hell.  Cry, cry, cry.  THEN, you make an appointment for your treatment and you work to extend your chances of being alive in five years from 50% to 60%.  Or hope that it will turn out they've got good margins on the tumor and you actually are looking at your ten year survival chances, not five year.  And sometimes you cry again.  Often times.  Because we have a lot to grieve.  

Grieving is an important part of resilience.  But it is resilience that we need now.  The ability to incorporate our horrible news without becoming dysfunctional.  Without losing functioning.  Still being able to act.  We must get up and do the mundane and we must do it with strength and power and humor and the whole of our human spirit.

But how?  That is no easy task.  So I looked to the American Psychological Association's words of wisdom on resiliency.  What they have to share is quite useful.  I guess it turns out they know something about human psychology. 

They have ten tips to building resilience.  I’ve quoted their steps and interspersed their application to climate within each numbered section:

(1)  Make connections. Good relationships with close family members, friends or others are important. Accepting help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you strengthens resilience. Some people find that being active in civic groups, faith-based organizations, or other local groups provides social support and can help with reclaiming hope. Assisting others in their time of need also can benefit the helper.  

I joined Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) and I find it hugely helpful to work with others for a meaningful solution, the revenue neutral carbon fee and dividend.  I know that my own actions are amplified by the actions of 100,000 others.  And vice versa.  Actually, hugely helpful is an understatement.  Highly empowering.  I have learned a lot from the group.  But CCL isn't for everyone.  There are many other organizations out there working for climate solutions.  If working with a group sounds appealing, find one that is comfortable for you.

(2) Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems. You can't change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events. Try looking beyond the present to how future circumstances may be a little better. Note any subtle ways in which you might already feel somewhat better as you deal with difficult situations.

In climate, this is a major stumbling block.  For me, I hold onto the reality that the scientists just are not 100% sure of anything.  There remains great uncertainty about how bad the positive feedbacks will be, how resilient ecosystems will be, whether we can develop means of removing carbon dioxide within the next few decades.  We can see those uncertainties as death sentences or as avenues for working things to our benefit.

(3)  Accept that change is a part of living. Certain goals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter.

This is HUGE.  We cannot avoid warming the planet.  We already have, about 1C.  And we are seeing fires and droughts and floods and extreme storms, refugee crises, rising sea levels, increases in vector borne diseases.  And we have locked in much worse, that we cannot change.  But there is a difference between seeing the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in 50 years versus 300 years.  Our ability to adapt and mitigate suffering is vastly different in 4C warming versus 2C warming, whether we are looking at sea level rise, crop yields, storm damage, diseases, or any of the impacts of climate change.

(4) Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly — even if it seems like a small accomplishment — that enables you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, "What's one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?"

Some days, this is as small as recycling your shampoo bottle.  Other days, it is teaching someone else the value of recycling their shampoo bottle.  And some days, it is seeing your Republican Congressman sponsor a resolution to act on climate.  And on really great days, you see hundreds of thousands march in New York City, or see the Pope release his encyclical, or hear that nearly 200 nations actually agreed on something. 

(5) Take decisive actions. Act on adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive actions, rather than detaching completely from problems and stresses and wishing they would just go away.

'Nough said.

(6)  Look for opportunities for self-discovery. People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss. Many people who have experienced tragedies and hardship have reported better relationships, greater sense of strength even while feeling vulnerable, increased sense of self-worth, a more developed spirituality and heightened appreciation for life.   AND (7) Nurture a positive view of yourself. Developing confidence in your ability to solve problems and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.

Climate activism offers benefits like connecting with others who share your concerns.  You can learn new skills, like writing letters to the editor, making difficult phone calls, or presenting to a local town board.  For me, personally, I am learning to find my own voice through climate action.  And, as it turns out, I won the lottery of climate action perks. I fell in love with a fellow climate activist.  :)

(7)  Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very painful events, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion.

Well, I don't think we are in danger of committing this one.  Climate is a really big deal, and it is almost impossible to overstate its impact.  My daughter may have achieved this one a few years ago.  She asked me if creatures like cockroaches and bacteria would survive climate change.  And I said, that, yes, I thought so.  Her response may be resiliency incarnate:  "Well, good, then if we fail, we get to start over."

(8) Maintain a hopeful outlook. An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life. Try visualizing what you want, rather than worrying about what you fear.

Those uncertainties?  See the path to success.  It is like playing miniature golf.  You have to see where you want the ball to go if you have a hope of getting it there.  On the days we can't do this, take a walk.  There is no reason to make seeing failure a habit.

(9) Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. Taking care of yourself helps to keep your mind and body primed to deal with situations that require resilience.

Know what keeps you feeling strong.  The climate movement sure could use more parties, more shared dinners, more music festivals, more time celebrating successes, no matter how small.

(10) Additional ways of strengthening resilience may be helpful. For example, some people write about their deepest thoughts and feelings related to trauma or other stressful events in their life. Meditation and spiritual practices help some people build connections and restore hope.

The key is to identify ways that are likely to work well for you as part of your own personal strategy for fostering resilience.  Me?  I am writing this blog. :)

It is clear that the past 50 years of warnings on climate have not led to resilient behavior.  We have shut down, denied, ignored or succumbed to the doom of the horror.  Practicing resiliency within the context of climate action may be an essential way to move beyond that.

Why am I a climate activist? Because I love modern convenience and energy.

“U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry...blast[ed] the 2015 agreement to limit global warming. Perry said it was ‘immoral’ to say people should live without fossil fuels.”

Not quite.  It is immoral to deny people access to energy.  To modern medicine. To transport to their work. To jobs. To food. To water. 

I worry about my children's futures.  Will they have a warm home, with food, with light and heat?  Will they have jobs that give them fulfillment while putting food on the table?  Will they enjoy the traditions we share, like coffee and chocolate, with their children?  Will they have security, free of war and strife?

To do all of that, they need access to reliable energy.  And they need people across the globe to access reliable energy.

This past week, the kids and I experienced a week without energy.  Storm Riley cut us off from the grid.  No power, no heat, no WiFi, no lights, no computers, no running water.

We were lucky.  We have resources in a nation full of resources.  The roads were cleared by snow plows, our neighbors helped us clear our driveway, we made our way to the local gym for showers, and the local town for food.  We slept together in a warm bed, made warmer with our loving pets.  We melted snow with our gas stove and had water and food.

Everything I want for my kids, I can provide.  Here, in a nation dependent on fossil fuels.

But those very fossil fuels are driving that which we fear the most...the loss of the security and stability of the energy we currently enjoy.  We had no power.  We had no water.  We had no heat.  Because of extreme weather.  (The local measurements clocked wind speed at 109 mph amidst a snow storm made worse by a melting Arctic).  Our entire town closed down.  No school, no grocery store, no gas station.  We ground to a halt.  

Climate change denied us our energy.  

Utility Poles Destroyed by Hurricane Maria

We have already burned enough fossil fuels to make our week without energy much more likely.  Weeks without energy are going to get even more likely for us all as we burn even more fossil fuels.  And we are not alone.  People world round have been denied access to energy because of escalating climate impacts and our energy vulnerability increases.   Look no further than poor Puerto Rico, still struggling to get basic energy six months after Hurricane Maria.

Immoral?  Immoral is pretending that action on climate will deny people access to reliable energy.  Immoral is pretending that fossil fuels don't endanger access to reliable energy.

Misguided folks on left and right continue to frame the climate debate as "environment versus economy" or "climate action versus energy."  Nothing can be further from the truth.  Climate action is about ensuring energy reliability.  Climate action is about ensuring that we continue to have heat, water, food, security while transitioning our energy infrastructure from fossil fuels to carbon free sources.

As a climate activist, I have ZERO interest in halting all fossil fuels tomorrow.  They are what kept my children safe and warm this past week.  To do otherwise would be immoral.

As a climate activist, I know that we need to transition from fossil fuels to the energy sources that will not harm our children.  We need to do that in a predictable, sustainable way that ensures we all continue to have heat, lights, food, water, jobs and security, before climate change robs us of all that we have built for our children with all of our energy.

There are many ways we can transition from fossil fuels to carbon free energy and we can debate the best ways.  But it is immoral to insist that fossil fuels are necessary to modern convenience.  It is quite the opposite.

Rick Perry's words signal that the upcoming elections will likely reinstitute the old "Energy Voters" messaging that worked so successfully in the past.  It is high time that we make it plain that WE are the energy voters.  Demanding carbon free energy is the demand for access to reliable energy.  And it is the only moral stance.

What Does the Russian Attack Really Look Like? A Word from None Other Than the Enemy.

It isn't often that I will cite a report authored by the GOP members of the committee headed up by Lamar Smith.  But this blog post is entirely based on its report "United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Majority Staff Report:  Russian Attempts to Influence U.S. Domestic Energy Markets by Exploiting Social Media."

Their conclusions, while couched in a heavily pro-fossil fuels language, are basically sound. The Russian attacks on our democracy included a great deal of manipulation of our national discourse on energy.  Putin has a lot to gain from both injecting vitriol into our discourse, generally, and into manipulating our energy decisions, in particular.

I quote their more salient conclusions here.  Please read them.  And then take a long hard look at the ads that Russians posted to inflame our discourse on energy. They have everything to gain from us believing that other Americans are "idiots," or worse.  These ads consistently make us FEEL others are wrong, and we have to FIGHT.  None of these ads explore the difficult challenges of policy, compromise, transition.  They each push for extremism and visceral, gut reactions.  Indeed, there were one or two ads here that I didn't want to include in this post because I agree with them...and I don't want them maligned as Russian and I don't want to admit that I am susceptible to manipulation, too.  

It is clear, we ALL have some soul-searching to do if we want a nation of laws and a democracy that represents our interests, not those of a petroligarch in Moscow.

"By posting content that supports positions held by both liberals and conservatives alike, the Russians used social media to instigate and inflame discord in the United States. Russian social media manipulators intentionally injected foreign propaganda into American political discourse. These Russian agents are only interested in creating discord in America while hiding behind an anonymous and misleading social media pseudonym, as demonstrated by the highly divisive, often contradictory posts provided in this report.
...
Based upon the findings detailed above, it is clear that Russian agents are using social media to influence and impact U.S. energy markets. Regardless of one’s political or ideological views surrounding U.S. energy policy and climate change, the American people deserve to be free from foreign political interference. As such, the Committee will continue to work with social media companies, which have taken positive steps to bring transparency to the online debate. Americans have a right to know that much of what they view online is being disseminated by foreign agents in an effort to disrupt U.S. energy policies. The goal of these foreign agents is to shape Americans’ perceptions of energy and of climate change issues."

 

 

 

 

 

At this moment in time, it is clear that the people we have elected to office are there because they represent Russian interests.  We need to remove them.  The question is...will we do it by falling prey to the same attacks, or will we do it in the best interests of our nation?

It comes to us.  Will we do the hard work of listening to others, digging through compromises, and supporting real policy that will address reality?

I leave you with one very reasonable answer to this question:  Fights Worth Having, Brett Stephens.  Please take some time to formulate your own.  Our nation's welfare depends upon it.

And I leave you with this perspective from Retrospective.

"For What It's Worth"

There's something happening here

But what it is ain't exactly clear

There's a man with a gun over there

Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop

Children, what's that sound?

Everybody look - what's going down?

There's battle lines being drawn

Nobody's right if everybody's wrong

Young people speaking' their minds

Getting so much resistance from behind

It's time we stop

Hey, what's that sound?

Everybody look - what's going down?

What a field day for the heat

A thousand people in the street

Singing songs and carrying signs

Mostly saying, "hooray for our side"

It's time we stop

Hey, what's that sound?

Everybody look - what's going down?

Paranoia strikes deep

Into your life it will creep

It starts when you're always afraid

Step out of line, the men come and take you away

We better stop

Hey, what's that sound?

Everybody look - what's going down?

We better stop

Hey, what's that sound?

Everybody look - what's going down?

We better stop

Now, what's that sound?

Everybody look - what's going down?

We better stop

Children, what's that sound?

Everybody look - what's going down?

Tipping Points and the Leaking Roof: There is No Better Time to Act than Now.

Levee Breach in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina 2005

Tipping points are an important concept in climate change. There are thresholds of warming that, once passed, create changes that are not readily undone. Some of these cannot be undone in years, some in decades and some in centuries or millennia.

One type of shorter term tipping point is inherent in the limitations of our infrastructure. We have constructed our roads, bridges and buildings to withstand a certain range of conditions. When we cross the upper threshold of what they can withstand, suddenly, we experience destruction. The levees overcome during Hurricane Katrina is an example of infrastructure overwhelmed and then resulting floodwaters doing devastating damage all at once. We are crossing infrastructure tipping points left and right.

Arctic Ice Melt 2017, NASA

Longer term tipping points are more scary and their threshold points are less easily identified. An example of this is that as we warm the Arctic, we may warm it enough to release huge amounts of methane that will quickly speed warming (this tipping point is also a positive feedback-warming reinforcing more warming). Exactly how much warming will put us past that point is not certain.

Complicate all of this with the fact that warming is delayed. We are experiencing the warming locked in decades ago, now. What we are doing now is committing us to warming in the future. Knowing just how much carbon emissions we can withstand is a bit like shooting a target blindfolded and dizzy.

There are many tipping points. We’ve passed some and others are in front of us.

As each day passes, we face a steeper and steeper climb.

It’s like a leaky roof. If you replace the roof before it starts to wear badly, it’s best.

If you wait until there are peeling tiles and moss growing, you may have to replace some of the sheeting.

If you wait until water starts to seep in, you have damage to the ceiling Sheetrock to repair.

If you wait until the water is flowing, you will have a lot more to repair.

It’s a long time until the house becomes condemned.

Unfortunately, the term, “tipping point,” while useful, can be fear-inducing without commensurate action-engaging. 

We cannot worry about "passing the tipping points" so much as fixing the leaking roof.  The sooner the better.

The Power of Incrementalism, Revisited, Yet Again; EV Batteries, Government Budgets and Agencies with Horrible Names

Today, for the first time in what seems a lifetime, the Democrats and the Republicans in the Senate agreed to something.  They agreed on something big...the federal budget.  As I scanned the news headlines, there was a lot of talk of important concerns.  The GOP, it turns out, doesn't really mind ridiculously large deficits, the GOP may not really need to placate Trump all the time, and the Democrats are not all necessarily on the same page as Pelosi threatens to send the budget off the rails in an effort to protect Dreamers and DACA.

Unfortunately, I noticed one thing seriously missing in all the budget news.  Just what does this mean for climate change?  The topic seems forgotten in the media coverage. Is it forgotten in the budget?

Now, I haven't seen an analysis of the bill yet, as it relates to climate.  But I did read portions of the bill and I would like to share with you here why the bill is important, why what legislators do is important, why insistence by the Dems that they get funding for more than just defense is important.

I raise to you a little known office within the Department of Energy.  Those that have followed my blog will recognize the office as one of my favorites:  ARPA-E (The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy--could anyone have dreamed up a less catchy title?).

BEEST: Just one of ARPA-E's projects,
BEEST funds research into EV energy storage

ARPA-E funds research projects into energy storage, transmission, efficiency.  They are making possible the research into battery improvements that will make electric vehicles more economically and practically viable, into grid efficiency in transport of electricity, into distributed energy production (think solar), into storage on microgrids, and so much more.
So much of what we need in order to remove carbon from our electricity production and electrify everything using this carbon-free grid depends on the kind of research ARPA-E makes possible.


You are probably wondering what any of this has to do with the budget.  Democrats pushed for more non-defense spending.  Why does that matter?  ARPA-E is just one small example of what that funding means.  In this bill, ARPA-E receives the same funding it received last year, which is the largest amount it's ever received after its initial inception.

ARPA-E's historical funding levels

Today's ARPA-E Funding in the Senate Budget Bill

If and when the budget passes the House, ARPA-E is going to continue to fund important research into clean energy innovation because the Democrats pushed to fund our government.  Not just our military, but the rest of our government.  There are a lot of good things that our government does, even if everyone wants to talk about how much government sucks.

The moral of this story?  Don't think that just because the Dems and Reps agreed on something that their battles don't matter, are more of the same old, same old or that there isn't a lot riding on the outcomes of these battles.  

Boring old bipartisan agreement to hard won budget battles may mean all the difference in carbon kept underground.

The Moral of the Climate Story; A Mother’s Version

I started to focus on climate action in earnest because I became afraid for my children. What world would they face if we don’t act?  I’ve done everything I can for them, facing scary medical issues, up long and repeated nights, working long days, chauffeuring and doing homework. How can I not also act to preserve a livable world for them too?

So I have immersed myself in climate science and policy. I’ve worked to cut my own emissions, methodically and in a way that supports others doing the same. I’ve developed a network of friends and allies that are doing the same. We support each other. I keep my kids lightly informed, not wanting to overwhelm them with what I know. All the while, raising them the best I can, as they make plans for lives of their own. 

And I encounter people who lightly and dismissively say it is “too late.”

Too late for what?

Too late to avoid warming?  Of course it is. We’ve already warmed 1C over preindustrial times. 

Too late to avoid 1.5C?  Yup. That’s locked in. 

Too late to avoid 2C?  Perhaps. But no one is sure of that yet. It might still be possible. 

Too late to avoid 2.5C? 3C? 3.5C? 6C?  Well, no. It’s not too late to avoid that. . 

What does “too late” mean?  

It’s easy to feel defeated. Year after year, we talk about climate change. We talk about projected impacts and what we must do to avoid them. And then we see them come to pass anyway. 

It’s daunting. 

But “too late” isn’t meaningful. And it most certainly isn’t action-engaging. 

It is essential that we understand how bad things are. And we prepare to adjust to the coming onslaught of change. 

But we also must recognize that our actions still matter. The pace at which we emit carbon over the next 30 years will impact generations. Faster means much faster and harsher impacts. Slower means more time to adjust, more opportunity to act with compassion with each other and less suffering. 

We must still fight for what we know is right. 

Thankfully, we are seeing avenues for action working.  Market disruptions are seeing the rise of solar and wind, married to battery storage and EVs, public transport and city planning that supports pedestrian and cycling. Coal is dying. Oil and gas are next, with the World Bank just announcing it will no longer invest in oil and gas, just as it did with coal some years ago. 

China is churning out solar panels and pricing carbon. India is looking to be a renewable maven. 

Things are hardly rosy. But we cannot fool ourselves into doom. We must focus on mitigating the damage, reducing suffering and increasing opportunities for compassion.

If we truly care about our children, then we are called upon to do the most difficult task of all. We must operate on the belief that love and compassion matter above all else.  

Even more than fear that it is for naught. 

After all my immersion in climate change, I’ve learned there is no “fixing” climate change. My initial journey to save the world for my kids has led me to a harder place that demands more of me. 

Like with a child with a serious illness, all we can do is hold our child and reassure them “it will be alright.”  And do our damndest to make it as alright as we can. All the while reducing their suffering by loving them. And loving them by reducing their suffering. 

In the end, we mourn what we’ve lost. But we rejoice in what we are blessed to have. 

Walk that difficult path. It’s the right thing to do.